Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Wash receptacles – With work surface
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-07
2001-04-10
Huson, Gregory L. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Wash receptacles
With work surface
C004S619000, C052S035000, C312S140300, CD23S286000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212707
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCES
There are no applications related to this application filed in this or any foreign country.
BACKGROUND
It is well-known that the materials used to construct a bathroom vanity, i.e. the supporting and enclosing structure within which the sink and associated water and drain pipes are carried, can add considerably to the appearance of the final construction. In particular, where stone and similar synthetic materials are used, the appearance of the bathroom vanity can be substantially upgraded from the more typical use of lower quality materials.
Unfortunately, the use of stone has presented some substantial challenges to the construction industry. Most of the challenge relates to difficulty in aligning, fastening, and supporting material that is not, except for appearance, particularly well-suited for the application. In short, stone and similar stone materials are not materials that are well adapted for use in construction, but which are in high demand by consumers due to the end appearance of the construction.
Construction problems are magnified when stone is to be used to form a vertically oriented apron carried below the vanity surface, particularly where the apron is not flat or planar. Such stone may be desirable in conforming to the curved or bowed front of a bathroom vanity. However, the support of curved material presents additional challenges in aligning, supporting and fastening the material to the supporting vanity.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a bowed front bathroom vanity system that allows for the alignment, support and fastening of difficult to use materials, such as stone, even in applications where the stone used to form an apron carried below the vanity surface is not planar, and assumes a bowed configuration.
SUMMARY
The present invention is directed to an apparatus that satisfies the above needs. A novel bowed front bathroom vanity system is disclosed that is adapted to aligning, supporting and fastening a curved or bowed piece of stone or similar difficult to use material, particularly where a bowed piece of stone is to be supported as an apron with the long edge oriented vertically on the front of the vanity.
The bowed front bathroom vanity system
10
of the present invention is typically mounted on a frame
100
, which is in turn supported by opposed sides and an adjacent rear wall surface. A preferred frame includes a back frame element
110
connecting the rear end portions of the left and right side frame elements
120
. A preferred version of the bowed front bathroom vanity system provides some or all of the following structures.
(A) A support substrate
20
is supported by the frame
100
. A preferred plywood support substrate includes a bowed front and defines holes for the sink
200
and plumbing to the faucet fixtures.
(B) A bowed front apron support bracket
30
is carried by the recessed front edge of the plywood support substrate and by the front ends of the side frame elements. The bowed front apron support includes horizontally oriented upper and lower rails connected by vertically oriented support stanchions.
(C) A bowed front apron
50
is supported by the bowed front apron support bracket
30
, and provides an aesthetic appearance.
(D) A pair of apron wings
60
are carried by the support bracket
30
, on either side of the bowed front apron.
(E) A vanity surface
70
is carried on top of the support substrate, providing an aesthetic appearance.
(F) A back splash
80
and opposed side splashes
90
are supported by the upper surface of the vanity surface.
It is therefore a primary advantage of the present invention to provide a novel bowed front bathroom vanity system that provides a higher quality, more durable and more aesthetically appearing vanity than is possible with previous technology.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a novel bowed front bathroom vanity system that is more rapidly constructed than is possible with conventional construction technology.
A still further advantage of the present invention is to provide a novel bowed front bathroom vanity system that is less expensively constructed than is possible with previous technology.
Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the specification and the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 32044 (1899-12-01), Hamm
patent: D. 157050 (1950-01-01), Jones
patent: D. 246051 (1977-10-01), Gruber
patent: 965164 (1910-07-01), Dunbar
patent: 5735001 (1998-04-01), Bitsche
patent: 3930563 (1991-03-01), None
patent: 5-68611 (1993-03-01), None
patent: 6-277156 (1994-10-01), None
Ni Michael Zukun
Thompson Terry M.
Huson Gregory L.
Prunner Kathleen J.
Thompson David S.
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